Russia and the End of Days
“I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me,
when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. “ Ezekiel 38:16
By Mike Wingfield
In light of the prophetic Biblical narrative of the last days, it is absolutely amazing to watch events unfold in the Middle East and around the globe right before our eyes. It is very clear that God is orchestrating developments to set the stage for the fulfillment of end-time events. It is my opinion that one of God’s primary judgments among the nations will be the destruction of Russia and her allies that come against Israel in a great military invasion, as detailed in Ezekiel 38-39. Without question, recent aggressive and bold military moves by Russian President Vladimir Putin are signaling that the ultimate showdown between Russia and God is drawing nearer each day.
In 1991, the Soviet Union, then a world superpower, collapsed. At that time, Vladimir Putin was a KGB agent. The KGB was known as an evil and ruthless security agency. A decade later, Putin became president of Russia, which is officially known as the Russian Federation. As the Russian leader, Putin commented that the collapse of the Soviet Union was “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.” (http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/21) It obvious to me that Putin’s aggressive actions in recent days are begin motivated by his dream to rebuild the Soviet Union and to wield global power over the nations. This has always been the ambition of Communist Russia. History reveals that in its march to achieve global supremacy, one of Russia’s greatest ambitions has been the acquisition of the land of Israel.
Prior to the declaration of the nation of Israel in 1948, many Jewish pioneers in Palestine lived on communal farms called kibbutzim and moshavim. These communities were a unique type of socialist approach to living in which the residents of these communities had very few personal belongings. Their work was for the community, and the community owned most of the properties and possessions. As a reward for their cooperation and work, the community cared for all of the members’ basic needs for living. It is apparent that the poor Jews who immigrated to Israel found this kind of lifestyle attractive and saw it as a way to fulfill their dream to help establish the modern Jewish state. On the other hand, as the socialist and communist leaders in the Soviet Union observed the creation of these communal farms, they concluded that the future Jewish state would adopt a socialist form of government and be a part of the nations that would eventually come under the orbit of the Soviet influence. This is why the Soviet Union quickly recognized the nation of Israel in 1948. Russia was the second nation to accept the Jewish state into the family of nations; the United States being the first to do so. However, when it became clear that Israel would follow the path of democracy rather than socialism, the Soviet Union changed its courting policies toward Israel and began its support for the Arab and Muslim states that were calling for the destruction of Israel. This alliance with the Arabs and Muslims has continued to this present time. Russia views Israel as a part of the West, which it despises and dreams of conquering.
The soft U.S. foreign policies of the Obama administration for eight years have allowed Putin to orchestrate his Russian political and military dominance in the Middle East. As a result, Israel finds itself facing a Russian and Islamic coalition that is positioning itself in Syria only a few miles from Israel’s northern border on the Golan Heights.
On August 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meet with Putin in Russia. Netanyahu informed Russia that Israel would not tolerate an increased Iranian military presence in Syria. Since Iran continues to publicly avow the destruction Israel, it is only right that Israel take a very commanding position to refuse Iran’s presence on their northern border.
Furthermore, a few months ago, communications strategist and author Joel Rosenberg commented: “Radical Islam is not the only threat we face in the West. Radical Russian nationalism and imperialism may prove to be an even more serious threat, especially given that Moscow has nuclear weapons while the violent Islamists do not (yet)…. I remain deeply concerned that most NATO leaders are insufficiently concerned by the magnitude of the threat posed by Vladimir Putin and the Russian military.
“Putin has invaded and occupied parts of Georgia, Crimea, and eastern Ukraine in recent years. Putin is selling arms to the ayatollahs in Iran, and has sent military forces into Syria to bolster the regime of Bashar al-Assad, a mass murderer who is presiding over the destruction of his entire country. …
“Do we really believe Putin’s aggression has run its course? A recent study by the RAND Corporation found that the three Baltics States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) are currently so poorly defended by NATO troops that Moscow could launch a surprise attack and capture at least two of them in just 60 hours.” (e-mail blog from Joel Rosenberg, July 22,2017)
Then, only a few weeks later, Rosenberg reported: “Moscow is gearing up for massive war games later this fall that could put upwards of 100,000 Russian troops on the borders of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Each of these countries are NATO members. Each lived for decades under the cruelty of Soviet occupation. Each are increasingly worried Putin may be interested in seizing them and putting them once again under Russian hegemony. …
“Putin has further ‘ratcheted up military provocations against NATO forces across Eastern Europe’ by sending Russian warplanes to make ‘provocative flybys of NATO ships and aircraft,’ by deploying ‘new military hardware to its Kaliningrad exclave, a territory nestled between the Baltic countries and Poland, which are all NATO members’ and by conducting ‘cyber warfare attacks on the electoral processes of multiple NATO countries, including, but not limited to, the U.S., Germany, and France,’ according to a U.S. defense analyst writing in Newsweek.” (flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2017/08/10)
In recent weeks, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to promote sanctions against Russia to punish them for their apparent involvement in the 2016 U.S. elections. As a result, Putin has announced that as of September 1, Russia is forcing the United States to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755. As tensions mount between Russia and the U.S. one wonders what the ultimate outcome will be.
While the world is oblivious to where all of this is going, those of us who know Biblical prophecy do not know all of the details, but we do have the big picture in clear focus. On the basis on Ezekiel 38-39, we know that Russia and its Islamic allies are plotting an eventual invasion of Israel. The Islamic rhetoric within Putin’s coalition provides evidence of their evil strategies. With all of this in mind, let us consider Ezekiel’s 2,600 year old prophecies as we examine five facts about Russia and the end of days.
Its Identity and Location
When the Bible student studies Ezekiel 38, one of the major questions to be answered is: “What is the identity of ‘the land of Magog,’ ‘Meshech and Tubal’?” This requires us to go back to the first mention of these ancient people groups in Genesis 10. Then, one must attempt to trace the location in which these ancient people groups settled. Concerning this, Jewish Biblical scholar, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, has concluded: “The identification of Magog, Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal is to be determined from the fact that these tribes of the ancient world occupied the areas of modern-day Russia. Magog, Meshech, and Tubal were between the Black and Caspian Seas, which is today in southern Russia. … The name Rosh is the basis for the modern name Russia.” (Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of Messiah, pp. 106-107)
This conclusion is confirmed by the location of the chief prince of the land of Magog as being “out of the north parts.” (Ezekiel 38:15; see also 39:2) When one looks at the location of Israel, Russia is located in the extreme north. Therefore, with great certainty, we can conclude that Ezekiel predicted that Russia will lead a coalition out of the north to attack Israel in the last days.
Its Character in the Last Days
When one examines the text of Ezekiel, he will conclude that Russia will be characterized as having an evil spirit, a warring spirit, and a godless spirit. In the last days, Russia is a champion for evil that opposes God and His eternal plans for Israel and the church.
According to the Bible, Russia and its Islamic allies will have an evil agenda in the last days. Ezekiel 38:10 states: “It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought.” While Russia is deceptively silent about its evil intentions toward Israel, it has no problem developing military alliances with Iran and Turkey, which have repeatedly expressed their hatred for Israel, and frequently call for its annihilation.
Both history and the Scriptures demonstrate that Russia and its Islamic allies have a warring spirit. They are not interested in promoting peace, but thrive on war. The prophetic revelation in the book of Ezekiel gives testimony that the people living in the region now occupied by Russia have always been a warring people. They believe in taking what they want by military conquest.
In Ezekiel 32:27, God declared that Russia was the promoter of “the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.” In Ezekiel 38, Russia is depicted as a nation that possesses a massive army that will invade Israel in the last days. The history of the 20th century certainly illustrates that Russia is a blood-thirsty nation that has brutally murdered millions of its own people.
It is a demonstrated fact that Russia also openly promotes a godless spirit. Russia has prided itself as an atheistic culture that has been an enemy of the cross. Therefore, it is no surprise that it also loathes the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. In Ezekiel 38:16, God declares that in the last days, Russia will be “against my people of Israel…. and … against my land.” In response to this, the Lord has spoke of His opposition to Russia. In Ezekiel 38-39, the Lord has repeatedly declared that He is “against” Russia and its powerful leader in the last days. (Ezekiel 38:1-2; 39:1)
Its Allies in the Last Days
According to Ezekiel’s prophecy, in the last days, Russia will unite with other nations that have the same warring spirit that desires to attack the Jewish nation. Psalm 120 gives us insight into Israel’s national security threats in ancient Biblical days. On behalf of the Jewish people, the writer of this Psalm calls out to God because of the deceptive warring spirit of Mesech [the people living between the Black and Caspian Seas- now Russia] and Kedar [the Arabs]. In verse 7, the psalmist declares: “I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” This is the same situation that exists in the Middle East today. Israel continually strives to have peace with Russia and the Muslims. However, this ancient coalition united against God’s people “are for war.” (Psalm 120:7)
Russia, with its evil, warring, and godless spirit has found a compatible partner in the Arab Muslims. About 4,000 years ago, the Lord spoke to Ishmael’s mother while she was fleeing from the presence of Sara, Abraham’s wife. The Lord informed her that the son she would deliver, and consequently, his descendants, would have a warring spirit. He said to her: “And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him …” (Genesis 16:12) History demonstrates that this was the beginning of the ancient conflict between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, the forefathers of Israel and the Arab Muslim nations. The conquest of ruthless jihad, bloody military conquest, has been the trademark of Islam for 14 centuries. So, the warring spirit of Russia and the Arab Muslims traces its hatred for Israel and the God of Israel back 4,000 years.
Just as Ezekiel predicted 2,600 years ago, Russia has formed an alliance with some of the most dangerous, militant, evil nations in the world today. As prescribed in the prophetic record, Iran, Turkey, Libya, and Sudan have been pulled into the Russian orbit of influence. (See Ezekiel 38:5-6.) Ezekiel 38-39 is set in the context of a revelation in Ezekiel 25-39 concerning God’s judgment of the nations both in the past and in the last days that have oppressed and opposed His people, Israel. Note that once again, Russia is pictured with the Middle Eastern nations that are all Muslim nations today. (Ezekiel 32:26-28) In Chapter 32, these nations are viewed as being those who have caused terror in the other nations, Therefore, throughout this section, God has declared that He will return His terror upon these warring nations who have fought against Him and His chosen people. (Ezekiel 32:32) Ultimately, these nations are depicted as being cast down into hell. (Ezekiel 32:17-32)
Not only have Russia and its Muslim allies expressed hatred for Israel, but, they all have a record of persecuting and killing Christians. This is especially true of Sudan. Radical Sudanese Muslims, with the backing of their government, are persecuting and killing Christians throughout Sudan.
Its Leader in the Last Days
In Ezekiel 38-39, the future leader of Russia is referred to as “Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.” (Ezekiel 38:3) In light of the present developments in the Middle East, one has to wonder if Vladimir Putin is the Russian leader who will fulfill this prophecy. Is Putin Gog? While we can never be absolutely certain, it seems that Putin does fit the description given by Ezekiel. It does appear that Putin is in the process of attempting to restore the glory and power of the former Soviet Union. This explains his aggression and militant strategies unfolding in the Middle East, especially Syria.
In Ezekiel’s prophecy, Gog is known as a powerful military leader. In Ezekiel 38:7, Gog is called “a guard.” This word means that Gog was a militant protector of his troops, a leader skilled in military maneuvers. This means that Gog was known for his military prowess. This seems to be a fitting description of the militant character of Vladimir Putin.
Gog also is viewed by Ezekiel as possessing a massive army, in addition to the very large armies of his coalition. In Ezekiel 38:9, it says that Gog and his forces will “ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy [troops], and many people with thee.” According to globalfirepower.com, Russia has 3,391,027 military personnel, Iran has 934,000, and Turkey has 743,415. These three allies have a combined 5,068,442 military personnel. In contrast to this, Israel has only 718,250 military personnel, with a total Jewish population of about 6.2 million. This data perfectly fits the picture depicted by Ezekiel at that the time of the Russian/Islamic invasion in the last days.
Its Destruction in the Last Days
As one looks at the statistical data mentioned above, it is apparent that the Jewish people will be greatly outnumbered by this Russian/Islamic coalition that will come against them. Like previous times in the Old Testament, the Lord is stacking the numbers against His own people to demonstrate to them that He is the Lord God Almighty. (Read the story about Gideon’s army in Judges 6-7.) In the days of King Jehoshaphat, a massive Arab army came against Israel. As they faced this overwhelming foe, King Jehoshaphat prayed, “O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us: neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.” (2 Chronicles 20:12) God answered the king and sent a prophet to give him His response: “Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)
In the larger context of Ezekiel’s revelation of God’s judgment against the nations, Ezekiel 25-39, it is repeatedly mentioned that God seeks His vengeance against the nations that are against His people and His land. (Ezekiel 25:3, 6, 12, 15; 26:2; 35:5, 10-15; 36:2-7; 38:8, 10-23) This section speaks of the historical and prophetic vengeance of God upon these nations. As mentioned before, it will eventually be aimed at Russia and the Arab/Islamic nations.
It is very apparent that God is orchestrating the events in the Middle East to bring about the final chapter in this ancient conflict against Him. It is not an accident that in Ezekiel 25-39, God directed His prophet to write about the King of Tyrus. After examining Ezekiel 28:6-19, many Biblical scholars agree that this is a reference to Satan. In other words, this conflict against Israel should be viewed from the spiritual realm as a conflict between good and evil, between God and Satan. The Lord is allowing Satan to use his wicked instruments against His people and His land. However, the final outcome is in the hands of the Lord!
The president of Russia does not know it, but God is baiting him for the final destruction of the Russian Army and the armies of Iran, Turkey, Libya, and Sudan. Speaking to Gog, God said: “Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, … And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth…” (Ezekiel 38:3-4) Russia and its allies will come against Israel not only because they hate them, but also because of the incredible wealth in Israel. (Ezekiel 38:12-13) Israel is rapidly becoming a very wealthy nation. Although it is very small, Israel has become a world leader in computer, agricultural, medical, and military hardware. Israel is on the cutting edge of electronic technology. The recent discoveries of natural gas and oil are making it energy independent, as well as an exporter of natural gas to the nations of the Middle East and Europe. All of this is especially attractive to Vladimir Putin. The bait is working. Soon, God will set the hook!
With the Russian/Islamic coalition forming on Israel’s northern border, it is only a matter of time before they will make their move against Israel. When they do, the God of Israel will intervene. He will send a massive earthquake in the region that will trigger volcanic eruptions. (Ezekiel 38:19-22) This geological catastrophic event will mentally unhinge these invading armies so that they will be confused and kill each other. (Ezekiel 38:21) A similar thing happened in the days of King Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 20:22-24)
Not only will the Lord destroy the Russian army on the mountains of Israel, but He will also “send a fire on Magog [Russia], and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 39:6) Russia and her Islamic allies will be finished. This will be the first phase of God’s judgment in the last days upon the nations that have had a history of hatred and war against Him and His chosen people. I am convinced that Russia will be out of the global picture before the Tribulation Period begins. In all likelihood, the battle of Gog and Magog will take place shortly after the Rapture, but before the Tribulation Period begins.
In the context of Ezekiel 38-39, God repeatedly declares, “I will…” The overriding impact of this passage is the message that God is sovereign and that His eternal plans for His glory will be accomplished. He has chosen the Jewish people and the Holy Land as His instruments for His glory. God’s divine plan is not for the glory of the Jewish people, or anyone else. The Lord instructed Ezekiel to declare: “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes: O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 36:22-23)
God will bless or curse the nations based upon how they stand with Him in His eternal plan, which is bound up in the Jewish people and their land. (Genesis 12:3) The Jewish global population is about 0.3 percent of the world’s total population. The land of Israel is very tiny compared to the great nations of the world. However, God has chosen the small things to glorify Himself. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to [nothing] things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)
Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Iran and Turkey believe they are in the driver’s seat in the Middle East. They believe that they will successfully destroy the nation of Israel and annihilate the Jewish people. However, their dream will not come to pass! (Read Jeremiah 29:17-18.) Instead, they are plotting their own demise.
Friends, take heart! We live in a world that has gone mad! The masses around us are ignoring God and seeking their own course of action to gratify their own desires. We can be encouraged that North Korea, or the socialists that are in our country, are not in control. God’s plan will come to pass. We are in His hands! “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Concerns About Yellowstone Park Volcanic Eruption
Some scientists are expressing a great concern over the potential that the very large dormant volcano at Yellowstone State Park could be moving toward a major eruption. As thousands of people descended upon the park to observe the solar eclipse on August 21, they were greeted with a 3.2 earthquake. This quake followed a 2.5 quake the day before. There have been thousands of earthquake tremors in the park this summer.
All of this is of great concern. This volcano is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world and is the most dangerous one in the United States. Should we experience a major eruption it would be catastrophic for America and the entire world. It could kill people in 15 states and cover one-third of the U.S. in volcanic ash. This would stop air traffic over the U.S. and in other parts of the world for months. The volcanic ash in the Midwest would be so deep that it would take years for the breadbasket of America to agriculturally recover.
Some scientists have become so concerned that they are making plans in a desperate and costly attempt to cool down this treacherous volcanic hotspot. “NASA [recently] announced that it is working on plans to drill six miles down into the volcanically active region and pump water into the magma at high pressures. The water would return to the surface at 662 degrees Fahrenheit, bringing some of the volcano’s heat with it. The project is massive, estimated to cost $3.46 billion, and admittedly risky.
‘The most important thing with this is to do no harm,’ Wilcox, a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, told the BBC. ‘If you drill into the top of the magma chamber and try and cool it from there, this would be very risky. This could make the cap over the magma chamber more brittle and prone to fracture. And you might trigger the release of harmful volatile gases in the magma at the top of the chamber which would otherwise not be released.’
But the NASA scientists working on the project are convinced that Yellowstone poses enough of a threat that they are willing to risk setting off an eruption.” Read more at:
According to Revelation 6:12-17, the Tribulation Period will begin with massive global earthquakes that will trigger massive volcanic eruptions. With everything else that is preparing our world for the Tribulation Period, it is only natural that the thought of a major eruption of the Yellowstone volcano must be taken seriously.
A Massive Jewish Exodus of European Jews to Israel
As our world moves deeper into a cycle of dangerous Islamic terrorism and moral decline, a growing number of European Jewish people are thinking about immigrating to Israel. Following the recent terrorist attack in Barcelona, a prominent Rabbi in Spain spoke to his fellow Jews, encouraging them to make plans now to immigrate to Israel. He is admonishing them to not wait until it is too late, like in previous generations. Surveys among Jews living in the UK indicate that due to the increase of anti-Semitism, one-third of them are thinking about immigration to Israel.
According to the Bible, when the Kingdom Age begins, every Jew will be at home in Israel. God says that His people will know that He is the LORD their God when He has “gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more [in their enemies’ lands].” (Ezekiel 39:28)